


Sleeping Dragon

by Morgyn Leri (morgynleri)



Series: Fireside Tales [134]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-01
Updated: 2014-05-01
Packaged: 2018-01-21 11:31:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1549010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morgynleri/pseuds/Morgyn%20Leri
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"What do you make?" Bifur isn't going to simply turn over a piece of stone, particularly not a piece of the Mountain, without knowing why Fannar wants it.</p><p>"A memory-stone. It was what I came to the Dragon-Mountain for, and it is what I must do."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sleeping Dragon

**Author's Note:**

> Bifur, winter of Third Age 2941-2942  
> Prompt: Carve  
> Alternate Universe: Flame of Durin

He sits in the corner of the room, carving a curled up dragon from a burl of oak as he watches the dwarrow who'd been brought in from the blizzard. Fannar had yet to speak anything save khuzdul, and they couldn't ask the help of any of their allies in guarding him, both because they would be unable to speak to him, and because they would not risk their sacred language being spoken by others.

Although he knows there are some few elves who do speak it. It had been nice to be able to communicate in Rivendell, even if only to Lord Elrond. Those had been interesting conversations.

Fannar shifts on the bed, still asleep, rather than feigning sleep as he has done before. He doesn't seem to want to speak much to others, though Bifur doesn't think it's because he sees himself as being held captive. There's a sense of secrecy - and a sense of pity that no one wants - about the dwarrow. And an arrogance that puts even the worst of Thorin's behavior to shame.

Shaving off another delicate curl of wood, Bifur looks down at his work, checking to see if it still wants to go the way it had seemed earlier. Still a dragon hiding, coiled up at the center of it, around its treasure, one that he can just see the edge of. It won't be very visible in the final toy, but there will be hints of it.

"Why do you carve the dragon, when it is what cost you this mountain?" Fannar is watching him, and Bifur wonders if he's lost time again, as he does sometimes. It's why there is always someone else outside the room, in case Fannar tries to take advantage of him in such a state.

"Because it is what was in the wood." Bifur shrugs, carefully carving off another sliver of wood, shaping the wings as they're furled over the dragon's back, sleek and powerful for all that. A delicate snout, with the hint of sharp teeth. "I don't carve what I want, but what I see."

"And let what you see free." Fannar is watching him with a guarded, and yet speculative expression. "Do you carve stone as well?"

"Not any more." Bifur had, once, but he's not touched stone since the day he fell to orcs, and was left with a permanent injury and a rage that finds its outlet in hunting evils when he cannot work it out in the soothing work of finding the shapes inside of wood.

"Could you bring me stone to work?" Fannar is watching him steadily, though Bifur isn't quite sure what's behind his eyes. Hope, yes, and something that in those who serve Thorin Bifur might call duty or love. Something of both, really, and why shouldn't Fannar have such? It's only really a question of to whom that love and duty is directed.

"Do you need stone for what you want to create?" Bifur lets his hands still, his attention fully on Fannar.

"It must be stone. Stone of this mountain - a piece of rubble will be enough. A stone from outside, perhaps, nothing much. The size of my fist, or a little larger, but not much." Fannar has not looked away once, not even let his gaze flicker, as many might. Whatever he wants this stone for is something important to him.

"What do you make?" Bifur isn't going to simply turn over a piece of stone, particularly not a piece of the Mountain, without knowing why Fannar wants it.

"A memory-stone. It was what I came to the Dragon-Mountain for, and it is what I must do." Fannar's fingers were twitching, moving almost as if he were already carving the stone, though there is nothing more to it than physical motion. No Smith, this one, to bend the Flame to his will as Thorin or others in the Line of Durin might.

The question is who does Fannar memorialize in stone, and why? Where did he come from that he had to come to Erebor for the stone to create it? Neither is a question Bifur thinks will be answered, and after a long moment, he shakes his head.

"I do not think it will be possible to bring you stone to carve. Wood, yes, and something to keep your hands busy, but I do not think any will be quite ready to let you carve stone for memory unless they know who is being remembered."

Fannr sighs, looking away a moment, silent as if thinking over what he's been told. Weighing something that Bifur cannot know, behind the blank mask of his face. It's unsettling that another dwarrow can hide so well from him as he can hide from everyone else.

"I cannot tell you that. I cannot tell any of you that." Fannar's lips twist in something that might be meant to be a smile. "You would not allow it even if you knew."

Bifur narrows his eyes, studying Fannar for a long moment before he stands, brushing off curls of wood before he pockets his carving knife. Time to allow someone else to take the watch, and talk to Thorin.

**Author's Note:**

> Bifur doesn't know who Fannar is wanting to memorialize, but for one who fell on Erebor's slopes, and recently, there aren't a lot of choices. And since they're certain Fannar isn't from the Iron Hills, and they have other clues (they suspect he's from north of Erebor, which is a large part of why he's kept under guard, because north are the Gray Mountains and Gundabad, none of which should have any dwarves), there is some suspicion about the sort of person he might be carving the stone for. None of the choices are good.
> 
> Fannar is one of the two primary characters for _Shadows of Gundabad_ , along with Cúnessa. He is intending to carve a stone for Azog, since for him, Azog is someone who provided protection and safety for the dwarves living in Gundabad now.


End file.
